Ancient water ceremony honours legacy of Sir Francis Drake

The Lord Mayor of Plymouth and the Deputy Lieutenant of Devon were among the civic dignitaries and guests who gathered to mark the 'Traditional Survey of the Waterworks and Fishing Feast' at Burrator Reservoir, near Plymouth, on Saturday (5 July).

The historic ceremony, believed to be one of the oldest in the UK, celebrates Sir Francis Drake's role in first bringing a reliable water supply to Plymouth in the 16th century. The annual event is organised and hosted jointly by Plymouth City Council, South West Water and Plymouth University.

During the ceremony at the head weir, a goblet filled with water is taken by Dr Stephen Bird, operations director of South West Water, and handed to South West Water's Chief Executive Chris Loughlin. Chris then presents the goblet to the Lord Mayor, Councillor Michael Fox, and proposes a toast "to the pious memory of Sir Francis Drake."

Passing the cup from one to the other, each guest drinks and repeats the same words.  Another goblet is then presented by Tracey Lee, Chief Executive of Plymouth City Council, to the Lord Mayor who drinks the toast"May the descendants of him who brought us water never want wine."

The goblets used during the ceremony - known as "loving cups" - date from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Chris Loughlin, Chief Executive of South West Water, said: "This historic tradition, which dates back over 300 years, gives us the opportunity to celebrate the past, present and future of Plymouth, its water supply and its reputation as a centre of enterprise and ingenuity.

"We are proud to play our part in ensuring that Plymouth continues to be known for its resourcefulness. The new water treatment works we will be building north of the city, to replace Crownhill, will be the first of its kind in the UK, using a state-of-the-art treatment process with fewer chemicals and energy."

Professor David Coslett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth University, said: "The University is delighted to be part of this long-standing traditional celebration. It's a very significant occasion for us, particularly with the recent restoration and public re-opening of Drake's Reservoir and Drake's Place Gardens in June.  Originally built in 1825, the Reservoir served as the main source of water for the town before those at Hartley and Burrator were built, and it serves as a powerful reminder of Drake's legacy to the city."

Councillor Michael Fox, Lord Mayor of Plymouth, said: "We are very proud of Plymouth's rich heritage and links with Sir Francis Drake and this annual event gives us a chance to recognise his important role in bringing fresh water to the people of Plymouth.

"As Britain's Ocean City, here in Plymouth we are well aware of what a vital natural resource water is to our health, wellbeing and to our local economy as a whole."